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Officials Meet with Massport on Logan Health Study Findings

Revere’s elected officials and elected officials from neighboring communities met with Massport last week to discuss the recent Logan Health Study findings by the Department of Public Health (DPH).

Senator Anthony Petruccelli, House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo and Representative RoseLee Vincent were joined by Representative Carlo Basile (D-East Boston) and reported that Massport has committed to helping community health centers provide additional health screenings. DeLeo and Petruccelli said this as a first step in responding to the findings.

“I’m pleased that we were able to take action less than a week after the study was released,” said DeLeo. “This is only the beginning of our work to ensure individuals living near Logan are safe and treated fairly. I look forward to continuing discussions with my colleagues on Beacon Hill, Massport, DPH and my neighbors and constituents.”

The study, first ordered by Senator Anthony Petruccelli in 2000 through legislation he filed while still in the House of Representatives, has found that as you get closer to Logan International Airport the incidents of childhood asthma and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) was higher.

Among children, study results identified some respiratory effects indicative of undiagnosed asthma. Children in the high exposure area were estimated to have three to four times the likelihood of this outcome compared with children in the low exposure area. Among adult residents, individuals diagnosed with COPD were more likely to have lived in the high exposure area for three or more years. The study found no statistically significant differences in cardiovascular problems or hearing loss.

“Speaker DeLeo brought his concerns to Massport years ago,” said Tom Glynn, Massport CEO. “This study provides a road map of how we can work to improve the health care of residents of Winthrop and other communities abutting the airport.”

While working to address the health issues are all fine and good, AirInc., the neighborhood’s watchdog group that oversees mitigation for Logan impacts on the community, has said it wants Massport to start taking preventative measures as well.

AirInc. has said residents in impacted communities expect to see change; both in short term day to day operations at Logan as well as in the long term strategic planning now underway.

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And think about the people who work at Logan. Of course, most of these workers are at minimum wage with no benefits. And they are treated like cattle by management.